I obtained my BSc (summa cum laude) at the University of the Philippines Diliman, working as an undergraduate thesis student for Dr. Cynthia Hedreyda. I completed my MSc and PhD degrees at the University of Guelph, under the supervision of Dr. Jane Robb and Dr. Ross Nazar. Before joining Laurier, I was an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Energy Plant Research Laboratory and Plant Resilience Institute (Michigan State University) in the laboratory of Dr. Sheng Yang He (Howard Hughes Medical Institute). There, I characterized regulatory mechanisms of plant immune signaling and microbial pathogenesis.

My laboratory is currently investigating how environmental factors (like elevated temperature) influence plant immune responses at the molecular level. The aim of my research program is to create an integrative model of the mechanisms underlying plant-pathogen interactions in a changing environment, in order to better understand and improve plant resilience.

• NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship (2018/19)
• Assistant Features Editor, The Plant Cell (2018/19)
• Canadian Society of Plant Biologists (CSPB) George H. Duff Travel Bursary (2018)
• Michigan State University (MSU) Postdoctoral Teaching Scholar (2017)
• MSU Leadership Academy (2017)
• Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2013/14, 2007/09)
• NSERC Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (2010/13)
• Dean’s Tri-Council Scholarship, University of Guelph (2010/13)
• Canadian Phytopathological Society (CPS) Graduate Scholarship (2013)
• The Guelph Mercury Top 40 Under 40 Award (2013)
• Board of Directors, Guelph Campus Co-operative (2012/14)
• Best Student Paper (Oral Presentation), CPS National Meeting (2012)
• Best Poster Award, Southwestern Ontario Regional Association-CPS Meeting (2012)
• CPS Graduate Student Travel Grant (2012)
• Advanced Leadership Bronze Award, Toastmasters International (2012)

The Castroverde Lab is currently looking for motivated graduate and undergraduate students to investigate the mechanisms underlying temperature regulation of various plant defence pathways. Students will learn concepts and methodologies in plant biology, molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry and genetics. Interested candidates are encouraged to submit a curriculum vitae and a one-page statement of research interests.

• Castroverde, C.D.M. (2019) The AREB1-ADA2b-GCN5 complex regulates gene expression during drought stress. Plant Cell, 31:559-560.
• Nazar, R.N., Castroverde, C.D.M., Xu, X., Kurosky, A. and Robb, J. (2019) Wounding induces tomato Ve1 R-gene expression. Planta, 249:1779-1797.
• Castroverde, C.D.M., De Avila, L.G.M., Amaya Romero, V., Blaya-Fernandez, J., Nazar, R.N. and Robb, J. (2019) Differential repression of the Ve R-genes in tomato. Plant Gene, 18:100174.
• Castroverde, C.D.M. (2018). Plant systemic immunity comes full circle: A positive regulatory loop for defense amplification. Plant Cell, 30:2238-2239.
• Velasquez, A., Castroverde, C.D.M. and He, S.Y. (2018) Plant-pathogen warfare under changing climate conditions. Current Biology, 28: R619-R634.
• Castroverde, C.D.M. (2018). Heat trims the fat: HIL1 functions in lipid homeostasis. Plant Cell, 30:1670-1671.
• Huot, B., Castroverde, C.D.M., Velasquez, A., Hubbard, E., Pulman, J.A., Yoshida, Y., Yao, J., Howe, G.A., Childs, K.L., Tsuda, K., Montgomery, B.L. and He, S.Y. (2017) Dual impact of elevated temperature on plant defence and bacterial virulence in Arabidopsis. Nature Communications, 8:1808.
• Castroverde, C.D.M., Xu, X., Nazar, R.N. and Robb, J. (2017) Biotic factors that induce the tomato Ve1 R-gene. Plant Science, 265:61-69.
• Castroverde, C.D.M., Xu, X., Blaya Fernandez, J., Nazar, R.N. and Robb, J. (2017) Epistatic influence in tomato Ve1-mediated resistance. Plant Biology, 19:843-847.
• Castroverde, C.D.M., Nazar, R.N. and Robb, J. (2016) Verticillium Ave1 effector induces defense genes independent of Ve1. Plant Signaling and Behavior, 11:e1245254.
• Robb, J., Castroverde, C.D.M., Shittu, H.O. and Nazar, R.N. (2009) Patterns of defence gene expression in the tomato-Verticillium interaction. Botany, 87:1-14.
• Fradin, E.F., Zhang, Z., Juarez-Ayala, J.C., Castroverde, C.D.M., Nazar, R.N., Robb, J., Liu, C.-M. and Thomma, B. (2009) Genetic dissection of Verticillium wilt resistance mediated by tomato Ve1. Plant Physiology, 150:320-332.
• Shittu, H.O., Castroverde, C.D.M., Nazar, R.N. and Robb, J. (2009) Plant-endophyte interplay protects tomato against a virulent Verticillium. Planta, 229:415-426.
• Castroverde, C.D.M., San Luis, B.B., Monsalud, R.G. and Hedreyda, C.T. (2006) Differential detection of vibrios pathogenic to shrimp by multiplex PCR, Journal of General and Applied Microbiology, 52:273-280.